Scan or Photo Courtesy of Gowtham BJ
Date
1848
Description
Here is a cleaned and corrected version: **1848 entire letter from Agra, dated July 8th, addressed to Simla, received July 11th, and redirected to Mussoorie via Meerut. The cover bears redirected “Bearing” datestamps filled in with manuscript charge marks, with further markings on the reverse. A fine and important pre-stamp letter, showing the uncommon boxed Meerut “Bearing” handstamp and the unusual U.P.O. / “Bearing” marking dated July 12th.** **Famously known as the “Quadruple Bearing Cover,” this is one of the most important pre-stamp covers of India. Both the U.P.O. and Kussowlie/Kussowlee Bearing handstamps are unrecorded. This is believed to be the only known cover bearing both the U.P.O. and Kussowlie/Kussowlee Bearing handstamps.**
Auction
Same office
Other recorded marks at Umbalah
13 marks13 other pre-1854 postal markings of Umbalah are recorded in the census. Compare their figure numbers, dates and colours to identify the mark on your cover.
- Umbalah HG 1handstampRed1844–1850
- Umbalah HG 2handstampBlack1846
- Umbalah HG 3handstampRed1845-47
- Umbalah HG 4handstampRed1845
- Umbalah HG 5handstampBlack1845
- Umbalah HG 6handstampBlack1848–1849
- Umbalah HG 7handstampRed1848
- Umbalah HG 8handstampRed1848-53
- Umbalah HG 9handstampRed1845-49
- Umbalah HG 10handstampBlack1851
- Umbalah HG 11handstampRed1852
- Umbalah HG 12handstampRed1853-54
- Umbalah HG 13handstampRed1852
About this record
This 1848 pre stamp cover of British India bears the Umbalah HG 7a handstamp of the Punjab, a mark with 1 example recorded in this census — the only surviving cover with this mark recorded so far. It has appeared at auction with Auktionen Gaertner, lot 734.